As she gazed the splendid flames within her seemed slowly to flicker out, and she sank back upon her bed.

Yes, how were they going to do it?
In cooler mood they discussed that question, without discovering a solution; discussed it until it was time for Matilda to go downstairs to perform her share of the preparation of the communal dinner.

Left alone, her fury now sunk to sober ashes, Mrs.De Peyster continued the exploration of possibilities, with the same negative result.
Matilda brought up her dinner on a tray, then returned to the kitchen; for though the others were all doing fair tasks, to Matilda of twenty years' experience fell the oversight of the thousand details of the house.

Presently Mary appeared, on one of her visits of mercy--full of relief that the cabinet-maker had ended his work so soon, thus setting Jack free.
But before beginning the anodynous "Wormwood," she launched into another high-voltage eulogy of Angelica's brother.

Even more than they had at first thought was he willing and competent and agreeable in the matter of their common household labor; he was not intrusive; he was rich with clever and well-informed talk when they all laid aside work to be sociable.